2016: The Year in Review | Page 18

T H E L A B O U R L E A D E R S H I P C R I S I S

DANIELLA BENNETT REMINGTON

As with nearly every aspect of British politics , Brexit had a profound impact on the Labour party . The official Labour position on Britain ’ s relationship with the European Union was in support of remaining a member state . Therefore , when the Remain campaign ’ s loss drew a great deal of criticism , specifically for ineffectual campaigning , a significant portion of this was directed at the Labour party . When this criticism began to be levied from Labour MPs themselves towards their leader , Jeremy Corbyn , with many subsequently resigning , this eventually led to a vote of no confidence in him . The resulting leadership crisis led to a leadership election , fought between Owen Smith and Jeremy Corbyn . Despite the crisis officially lasting from 22nd August - 24th September , when Jeremy Corbyn was reelected leader , the effects are still being felt within the party today and for the immediate future a resolution doesn ’ t seem likely .

Within Labour there was an unofficial group , who referred to themselves as ‘ Labour Leave ’. The main figures involved in their campaign were Kate Hoey ( MP for Vauxhall ), Graham Stringer ( MP for Blackley and Broughton ), Kelvin Hopkins ( MP for Luton North ), Roger Godsiff ( MP for Birmingham Hall Green ) and John Mills , the founder and largest single donor to the Labour party . However , Jeremy Corbyn was not part of this group , he was supposed to be a leading figure in the Remain campaign , it should have been without a shadow of a doubt that people knew he opposed to a British withdrawal from the EU .
In his earlier political career , Corbyn was a noted Eurosceptic , the traditional stance of the Labour party . In fact , as recently as 2011 , Corbyn backed the proposal for a
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